There is a bit of a rebellious streak in Palatine, a northwestern residential suburb of Chicago. In 2008, in response to a county tax hike which lifted Palatine’s sales tax to nine percent, residents began talk of secession from Cook County. The following year voters overwhelmingly passed an advisory referendum to state a desire to secede.

The increase was eventually rolled back, but sales tax has again become a hot-button issue as county officials are looking to implementing a one percent increase.

Peter Mathew, a gas station owner in Cook County, detailed his plan to protest. “If I want to buy a TV or something big, I’ll go to the next county,” he told the Chicago Tribune this summer. “It’s a five minute drive.”

It’s enough to make the Motor City Madman mad. But it needs to be pointed out that the Motor City Madman himself — controversial rocker Ted Nugent — launched his career as a high schooler not in Detroit, but in Palatine.

Nugent — who graduated from St. Viator High — was profiled years ago and his father blended in with Palatine well. His conservatism kept him from attending one of Ted’s Chicago concerts after his act had become national. Instead his dad, Warren, stayed home to watch Lawrence Welk.

“I admire the boy for his success and I’m 100 percent supportive of him but as far as his high decibility, I have a problem. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the boy but my personal exposure at a concert of that type goes against my Grain. I’m old fashioned. Ted understands my feelings and we respect each other.”

He also asked Ted to cut his hair and wear a wig, but his son told him that that wasn’t part of his game.